Using up my fabric stash, one scrap at a time!

The Search for the Perfect Wallet Continues

After coming up with some new ideas during another bout of insomnia at 3am, I modified the pattern of the last wallet, and got to work making another prototype.

This time I changed the zip compartment so that it was horizontal when you opened the wallet, and made the inside of the wallet slightly lower than the outside, so it was tiered. I thought this might help it all lie flatter. I also tried to make it a bit smaller than the first wallet.

I used a lovely blue and yellow fabric for the inside of the wallet that Mr. B bought me for my birthday, and a navy polka dot fabric for the outside. I lined the zippered pocket with yellow fabric. I don’t usually use a lot of blue in my sewing, but I really like the way the colours and patterns work so well together here, I think I might start using blue more.

I wasn’t sure I needed to make another prototype, but Mr. B convinced me to be on the safe side. I was sure I had it all figured out and this time the pattern would work. Well, it didn’t. There where two flaws, one major, and one minor. I’ll get to them in a minute.

I used a zipper foot to sew round the magnetic clasps as I had attached them rather close to the edge. Because I had already sewn the inner note pocket to the outer fabric and inner fabric, I then had a minor but very annoying problem when it came to sewing the whole thing together, due to the tiering of the inner fabric. I ended up having to get out my needle and thread and handsew both top corners.

Here you can see clearly how the inner part of the wallet is about a quarter of an inch lower than the outer wallet, with the note pocket in between them. The wallet looks much better made like this.

Once I’d finished all the handsewing the wallet was complete, apart from the topstitching around the whole thing. I went to try it out and found a major flaw in the design. Somehow, between measuring, cutting and sewing, the card slots had become a lot smaller than intended, and my cards didn’t fit in them! That’ll teach me to give such measly seam allowances. Oh well. It’s still pretty.

So, lessons I have learnt from this second attempt:

I need to give more generous seam allowances and make the whole wallet a little bit bigger than I need it, so that the card slots actually work.

Instead of attaching the note pocket to the inside and outside fabrics before sewing them together, I need to go about it like I would when making a bag with lining. I need to sew the outer wallet to the inner wallet around the sides and bottom, right sides together, then make the note pocket in the same way, press the seams down at the top of the wallet and the top of the note pocket, and then put the note pocket inside the wallet, wrong sides together, line up the seams, and topstitch. That should work.

My brother’s birthday is on friday, so I really need to make his wallet tonight, I won’t have time during the week. Maybe if it turns out well I will post a tutorial here. Wish me luck!